Bearing construction for turbines or the like



R. BIRMANN BEARING CONSTRUCTION FORy TURBINES OR THE LIKE July 9, 1946.

Filed Aug. 29, 1941 fram/27.5.

ascenso 4 3 extending flanges I3 the edges of which, having slight clearance with annular bores of elements 3 and 5 limit radial displacement of the bearing. These ilanges I3 are also provided with openings into which project pins I8, which project also through openings in the member I and the respective elements' 3 and 5, thereby preventing relative rotations of these various parte. The pins fit the openings in member 'I loosely, however, so as to permit tilting of the shaft and the inner elements of the bearings relative to the member 1. y

The members I2 and I4 are ,provided with circumferentially extending 'pads 20 supporting internally the bundle of nestedsleeves 22 to which further reference will be made hereafter. These sleeves iill the space between the pads 20 and the inner surfaces oi the elements 3 and d. These latter sin/faces are provided with oil grooves indicatd at .8 communicating with radially extending openings 2t and 3D in element t and member 'I, respectively, Oil under pressure is furnished to the openings t as described in said prior application.

The nature voi the sleeves 22 is illustrated to a distorted scale in Figures 1 and 2. Each of the sleeves is provided with a cylindrical inner surface. The sleeves form two groups, which `are similar yin construction with the exception of angular displacements of longitudinally extending pads, indicated at 32 and 3l, respectively, and formed as slight projections from the outer surfaces of the sleeves. While other relative arrangement of the pads may be provided, it will be observed from Figure 2 that each sleeve is provided with four pads arranged at 90 spacings, and whenthe sleeves are nested, the pads of adjacent sleeves are located 45 from each other, providing a staggered arrangement. The maintenance of these positions is effected by providing notches 2t in the edgesof the sleeves embracing the pins I8, thus preventing relative rotation thereof and also maintaining the nested groups stationary within the outer portions of the bearings. 'I'he pads which have been described are raised several thousandths of an inch, for example .005 inch, above the adjacent cylindrical portions of rtheir respectivesleeves, with the result that there are provided oil receiving spacings several thousandths of an inch thick between each pair of sleeves. By reason of the staggered arrangement oi' the pads, it will be evident that each pad is subjected to pressure tending to force it outwardly and will apply such pressure at s a point .intermediate the pads on the next outer sleeve, with the result that flexure to some extent may occur, reducing the size of the oil receiving space on the outside of the last mentioned sleeve. The pressure thus exerted, furthermore, will be applied through the adjacent pads of the last mentioned sleeve to flex the next outer sleeve, and so on. Thus any pressure exerted by the shaft during rotation, in its tendency to rotate about an axis eccentric to its geometrical one, will be taken up by the exures of the various sleeves between their pad portions with alternate reduction and enlargement oi the oilspaces, as the shaft revolves, to effect a damping action. As compared with the arrangement described in my prior application, a somewhat greater restraint is exerted by the bearing to cause the shaft to rotate about its geometrical axis and to maintain its geometrical axis in alignment with the structural axis of the bearing. On the other hand, well below its critical speed it will revolve about its ing up of vibrations.

true center of gravity, with the result that the phenomena resulting from reaching of critical speed will not appear. Substantial resiliency is thus provided with a-high degree of damping, so that there are no tendencies toward the build- 'I'he oil in the iilms between the sleeves is caused to now continuously inwardly andl outwardly, as deflections of the sleeve occur, but with the reduced resiliencyprovided by the construction. it is substantially impossible for :the oil. to be forced completely out of the space between the sleeves to destroy the damping action. While in the specific modiiloation of the invention illustrated a thrust bearing is shown. it will be obvious that the invention is equally applicable to a plain journal. The necessity for the provision oi a spherical mounting may not always arise, since the sleeves provide by their resiliency a substantial capability of universal movement, involving a substantial freedom for tilting.

.The longitudinally extending pads on the sleeves-may be readily provided by turning the sleeves on a lathe with the provision oi cam means for slightly displacing the tool outwardly periodically for the formation of the pads.

However, quite eiiective pads may be provided in other` ways. For example, as illustrated in the modiilcation of Figures 3 and 4, in which therein illustrated a sleeve adapted to be associated in staggered relationship with others in which the exteriorly projecting pad is provided by knurling, as indicated at 38, which will effect an extruding of metal points or projections outwardly to the extentl of the necessary few thousandths of an inch clearance between the sleeves. Uniform projection may then be secured by grinding.

The pads may also be built up by metallic (e. g., chromium) plating, or by etching away with acid portions of the sleeves leaving the pads.

While longitudinally extending pads have been primarily mentioned, the localized areas of contact may be provided by pads arranged otherwise, since the same resiliency conditions will be achieved in general if local Dads are provided which are in staggered relationship to each other on adjacent rings. It will be evident, in fact, that a similar action may also be obtained if certain of the sleeves are provided with pads on.

both their inner and outer surfaces and intermediate pads are provided with. cylindrical inner and outer surfaces.

'What I claim. and desire to protect by letters Patent is: l. In combination, a high speed shaft, a casing, a bundleloi nested sleeves mounted in the casing and mounting said shaft, adjacent surfaces of sleeves of said bundle having localizedv regions oi.' contact with each other and being separated between such regions oi contact to provide capillary oil spaces, the regions of contact of the inner and outer surfaces oi each sleeve being substantially out oi radial alignment, so that relative riexures oi adjacent sleeves modifying the thickness of said capillary oil spaces may occur between their regions of contact with each lother due to pressures exerted at the regions of contact on their non-adjacent surfaces and means for supplying oil to said capillary spaces.

2. in combination, a high speed shaft, a casing, a bundle of nested sleeves mounted in the casing and mounting said shaft, adjacent surfaces of sleeves of said bundle having localized axially extending regions of contact with each other and being separated between such regions `illary spaces.

of contact to provide capillary oil spaces, the regions of contact of the inner and outer surfaces of each sleeve being substantially' out of radial alignment, so that relative fiexures of adjacent sleeves modifying the'thickness of said capillary oil spaces may occur between their regions of Contact with each other due to pressures exerted at the regions of contact on their non-adjacent surfaces and means for supplying oil to said capillaryspaees. y

3. In combination, a high speed shaft, a casing, a bundle of nested sleeves mounted in the casing and mounting said shaft, said sleeves having outer surfaces provided with localized pads arranged to engage the inner surfaces of the respective adjacent outer sleeves to provide capillary oil spaces between the pads, the pads of adjacent sleeves being substantially out of radial alignment, so that relative ilexures of adjacent sleeves may occur between the pads of the inner one of the adjacent' pair due to pressures exerted at the pads of the outer one of the pairto modify the thickness of said capillary cil spaces, and means for supplying oil to said capillary spaces.

4. In combination, a high speed shaft, a casing, a bundle of nested sleeves mounted in the casing and mounting said shaft, said sleeves having outer-surfaces provided with localized axially extending pads arranged to engage the inner surfaces of the respective adjacent outer sleeves to provide capillary oil spaces between the pads, the pads of adjacent sleeves being substantially out of radial alignment, so that'relative exures of adjacent sleeves may occur between Vthe pads of the inner one of the adjacent pair due to pressures exerted at the pads of the outer one of the pair to modify the thickness of said capillary oil spaces, and means for supplying oil to said cap- 5. In combination, a high speed shaft, a casing, a bundle of nested sleeves mounted in said casing and mounting s'aid shaft, adjacent surfaces of sleeves of said bundle having localized regions of contact with each other and being separated between such regions of contact to pro' vide capillary oil spaces, the regions o! contact of the inner and outer surfaces of each sleeve being substantially out of radial alignment, so that relative fiexures of adjacent sleeves modifying the thickness of said capillary oil spaces may occur between their regions of contact with each the inner and outer surfaces of each sleeve being substantially out of radial alignment, sc that relative ilexures of adjacent sleeves modifying the thcmess of said capillary oil spaces may occur between their regions of contact with each other l due to pressures exerted at the regions of contact on their non-adjacent surfaces, means for supplying oil to said capillary spaces, and means mounting said sleeves for simultaneous tilting movements of said sleeves about axes perpendicular to thev axis of the shaft.

7. In combination, a high speed shaft, a casing, a bundle of nested sleeves mounted in said casing and mounting said shaft, adjacent surfaces of sleeves of said bundle having localized regions of contact with each other and being separated between such regions of contact to provide capillary oil spaces, the regions of contact of the inner and outer surfaces of each sleeve being substantially out of radial alignment, so that rela@ tive exures of adjacent sleeves modifying the thickness of said capillary oil spaces may occur v between their regions of contact with each other due to pressures exerted at the regions of contact on their non-adjacent surfaces, and means for supplying oil to said capillary spaces, said means including elements providing an oil receiving chamber-embracing the ends of said sleeves and communicating freely with said capillary oil spaces. l

RUDOLPH BIRMANN. 

